System and method for banking downstream resource costs

Abstract

In a system according to the invention, a sum of money related to the current or projected cost of pollution remediation associated with the use of a particular mineral resource is banked at the time of the mineral's extraction, first sale or entry into the stream of commerce. Disbursement of the banked monies may be made to downstream processors, end users, effected entities or third parties for remediation, sequestration or conservation activities or simply for recompense. In one embodiment of the invention, dynamic tracking systems may apportion the payout as a function of measured observed winds and precipitation patterns. In this way, the true economic cost of a particular mineral resource may be more accurately reflected in its selling price.

1. A computer system for allocating at least one environmental cost associated with the use of a mineral natural resource comprising:
 a non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing data representing account information for producers of mineral natural resources and data received by or created by program code; 
 first program code that receives input of at least one characteristic of the mineral natural resource produced by a producer with an account, and assesses a charge that is a function of at least one characteristic of the mineral; 
 second program code that records receipt of a sum equal to the assessed charge in an account associated with the producer of the mineral natural resource; 
 third program code that receives input regarding the producer's processing or use of the mineral natural resource, for which the assessed charge has been stored in the producer's account, and downstream processing or uses of the mineral natural resource by others and tracks any downstream processing and the use of the mineral natural resource; and 
 fourth program code that calculates an amount of the previously assessed charge that should be distributed back to the producer or to another downstream user or processor of the mineral natural resource, or to an unrelated third party based on other conservation activities. 
 
     
     
       2. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one characteristic of the mineral natural resource includes the quantity of the mineral natural resource produced by the producer. 
     
     
       3. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one characteristic of the mineral natural resource includes the concentration of at least one impurity in the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       4. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one characteristic of the mineral natural resource the quantity of carbon dioxide produced upon combustion of a unit quantity of the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       5. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the third program code further tracks the end use of the mineral natural resource and the fourth program code further calculates the amount to be distributed based on the particular end use of the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       6. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein assessing a charge comprises obtaining data from an exchange. 
     
     
       7. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein processing of the mineral natural resource comprises refining the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       8. A computer system as recited in  claim 7  wherein refining the mineral natural resource comprises fractionation and tracking comprises tracking a plurality of the fractions so produced. 
     
     
       9. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one characteristic of the mineral natural resource includes the quantity of the mineral natural resource produced from a certain deposit of the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       10. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein assessing the charge further comprises normalizing the quantity of the mineral natural resource produced based on the BTU content of the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       11. A computer system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the mineral natural resource is selected from the group consisting of oil, natural gas and coal. 
     
     
       12. A computer system for allocating at least one environmental cost associated with the use of a mineral natural resource comprising:
 a computer processor configured with:
 first program code that receives input regarding a mineral natural resource produced by a producer; 
 second program code capable of determining a charge that is a function of at least one characteristic of the mineral natural resource; 
 third program code capable of storing a sum equal to the assessed charge in an account associated with the mineral natural resource; 
 fourth program code that receives input regarding and tracks any downstream processing of and the use of the mineral natural resource after production; 
 fifth program code capable of calculating an amount to be disbursed from at least a portion of the stored sum based on the quantity of a byproduct of the combustion of the mineral natural resource the release of which into the atmosphere is prevented. 
 
 
     
     
       13. A computer system as recited in  claim 12  wherein the byproduct of the combustion of the mineral natural resource is a greenhouse gas. 
     
     
       14. A computer system as recited in  claim 13  wherein the greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
       15. A computer system as recited in  claim 12  further comprising the capability of calculating an amount to be disbursed of the stored sum for remediation of damage caused by the release of a pollutant in the mineral natural resource not removed or sequestered during processing of the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       16. A computer system as recited in  claim 12  further comprising the capability of calculating an amount to be disbursed of the stored sum in compensation for damage caused by the release of a pollutant in the mineral natural resource not removed or sequestered during processing of the mineral natural resource. 
     
     
       17. A computer system for calculating the sums to be reimbursed for at least a portion of the costs associated with carbon sequestration comprising:
 a computer processor configured with:
 first program code that receives input regarding a hydrocarbon mineral resource produced by a producer; 
 second program code capable of determining a charge that is a function of at least one characteristic of the hydrocarbon mineral resource and the quantity produced of the hydrocarbon mineral resource; 
 third program code capable of storing a sum equal to the assessed charge in an account associated with the hydrocarbon mineral resource; 
 fourth program code that receives input regarding and tracks any downstream processing and the use of the hydrocarbon mineral resource; 
 fifth program code capable of obtaining information relating to the current monetary value of carbon sequestration per unit of carbon from an exchange; 
 sixth program code capable of adjusting the assessed charge based on the current monetary value of carbon sequestration; 
 seventh program code capable of disbursing at least a portion of the stored sum based on the quantity of carbon sequestered. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A computer system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the hydrocarbon resource is selected from the group comprised of oil, natural gas and coal. 
     
     
       19. A computer system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the fourth program code further comprises tracking the capability to track a plurality of fractions of the hydrocarbon produced during processing. 
     
     
       20. A computer system as recited in  claim 17  further capable of exchanging information with an exchange concerning the quantity of a certain hydrocarbon resource for which a sum based on an assessed charge has been stored. 
     
     
       21. A computer system as recited in  claim 20  further capable of furnishing an exchange with information concerning the magnitude of the stored sum. 
     
     
       22. A computer system as recited in  claim 17  further capable of purchasing carbon credits on an exchange and debiting the stored sum in an amount equal to the monetary value of the carbon credits. 
     
     
       23. A computer system of  claim 1  wherein the system is made up of distributed computers. 
     
     
       24. A computer system of  claim 23  wherein the distributed computers are connected over a network. 
     
     
       25. A computer system of  claim 24  wherein the network is the internet. 
     
     
       26. A computer system of  claim 12  wherein the system is made up of distributed computers. 
     
     
       27. A computer system of  claim 26  wherein the distributed computers are connected over a network. 
     
     
       28. A computer system of  claim 27  wherein the network is the internet. 
     
     
       29. A computer system of  claim 17  wherein the system is made up of distributed computers. 
     
     
       30. A computer system of  claim 29  wherein the distributed computers are connected over a network. 
     
     
       31. A computer system of  claim 30  wherein the network is the internet.